Generally speaking, sequential dilation systems enable a surgeon to make an initial incision and gradually increase the size of the incision by sequential insertion of increasingly larger dilators. Sequential dilation is preferably able to reduce tissue damage and associated trauma to speed patient recovery time. In addition, dilation is utilized to prepare a surgical path to a surgical site and a stimulator may be utilized with the dilator to direct the dilator along a path that avoids specific areas of the patient's anatomy, such as neural elements or nerves.